I have some questions I want to ask the community. I'm currently almost done working on my first prototype for a service platform that will allow small business owners that sell online to offer same-day delivery options to their customers. This same-day delivery is only for customers in other states that would like to buy your products online.

For example, Mary has a online store (based out of New York) that sells candles, and there is a customer that lives in Miami who buys a few candles from her online store. Now this customer, Patrick, wants the items shipped to him that same day if possible. So, Mary is already using my service and her online store has an option next to the other delivery options, for same-day delivery and $X price for it. Patrick then sees this option and is willing to pay the amount $X to receive it that same day.

The logistics of the service is already figured out and if interested I would like to know. Now I know it seems complicated but you as the business owner wouldn't have to worry about many details as everything is done for you, the only thing you would need to do is to give the package(s) to the person carrying your customer's package from city to city.

Now my question is who is willing to include this service in their store as a delivery option? Why or why not? What do you see as an advantage and/or disadvantages? If you have any comments or questions let me know I'm more than happy to help you as I want to get some feedback on the service.

Imagine being able to compete against the big guys such as Amazon, eBay, and the likes.

Thanks,

Ramón

Ted_S
—
2013-03-03T21:32:05Z —
#2

Ramón -

If you can execute on the idea properly and cost effectively you have a a huge market opportunity. Amazon has already changed the retail game with Prime, Shop Runner is helping larger merchants catch up but it's not the same and now that we're seeing next / same day options around hubs it's only going to get more competitive.

Some of the questions you will get:

How does it integrate?

How will customers track?

How are packages serviced?

What guarantees exist on dates?

What scale can you accept?

What is the cost?

People are naturally going to be skeptical [from the little info in your post I'm already assuming the price is unreasonable and that it's a fairly manual process now] so it's really going to come down to a slick presentation and effective presentation to win over those initial adopters and hopefully get you into a snowball effect.